The Ties That Bind
by Saerry Snape
Summary: Xander's mother dies, leaving him a simple cardboard box. When he opens it...he finds that he might just have some worthwhile relatives somewhere...
1. Discover the Ties

Xander frowned at the box for a moment then leaned over and pulled it towards his chair. Across the top were scrawled the words '_To my son if I should die_' in his mother's handwriting – he traced the words with a finger, wondering if she'd known from the beginning that one day Tony would end up killing her.

And he had. Three days ago in a drunken rage, Tony had shot his mother in the head then had tried to shoot himself when the police had come in response to a call about the earlier gunshot. He ended up shooting off part of his jaw when he tried to kill himself. Hence why the police were calling it simple dumb luck that he'd managed to shoot Jessica Harris in the head.

They'd called him when he was on the way to pick up a new Slayer in Iowa so he'd had to call and say he couldn't do it. Send someone else to pick up the girl – I've got other business. He'd hung up on the chit of a girl that answered the phones and thought she was better than anyone. It was sad. Since he'd been pulled out of the field against his will and made the simple pick-up-and-bring-back man without being able to talk to most of the Slayer's, they had all gone to hell. The one's he'd found and trained in Africa were still doing well and fine – they called him from time to time to say 'hi'. Good girls.

The new Slayer's that had been coming out of training since Buffy had decided to come back…now they weren't too good. Reminded him way too much of how she'd been that last year in Sunnydale, which was not the way for a Slayer to be acting even if they _were_ in charge of the one group that would stop the end of the world.

Heh, he was probably going to get a phone call soon and get chewed out by Buffy over this. He'd just tell her to fuck off – other business had come up and if she thought she could order him around like some puppet again, he quit.

Yeah, just like that.

Xander smiled bitterly then looked down at the box again, trying desperately to figure out what was inside. Just what had his mother wanted him to have if she died?

Well, only way to know was to look.

Pulling a pocketknife out of his pants pocket, he slid it across the packing tape holding the box flaps shut then set it on the table next to him. Carefully opening it, he reached in and picked up the folded piece of paper on top.

And in a grimy hotel room in the backwater town Tony had moved his mother to years ago, he found out he actually had some worthwhile family left alive.

…_I had a brother once: Malcolm. He was a good man – you would have liked him, I think, Alex. I lost track of him, sadly, and never saw him after my sixteenth birthday. He was twelve years older than me and went off then to start his wandering – he was a stage magician and a pretty good one, though they're not appreciated these days. But it was what he wanted to do and he did it. I got one letter from him during those years, forwarded to me from our parents, just after he got married. After that…nothing._

_He died two years before you were born. A brain aneurism they told me when they called – it took them five years to find me. I don't believe what they told me; just don't believe that that was how he died. Why I have no idea but I do._

_I was angry to also find out that my brother's son had been adopted and there was no way that I could get him. They had lost track of the man who had adopted him – he just disappeared without a trace._

Xander paused in the reading and frowned. Just disappeared? That sounded like something Willow had told him about, some event that had occurred a few years back. A whole city disappearing, was it? Eh, he couldn't remember.

Though now he was confused, mildly distraught, and curious. He'd had an uncle – a good man from his mother's words – who had died, _killed_ if he believed his mother's feeling. And a cousin.

A cousin lost somewhere in the wide world.

Flicking his eye back down, he continued reading. Maybe his mother had found him…

_I do at least know the boy's name – managed to get that out of the woman that called me. With that, I tried to track him down over the years to no avail. I had begun to give up hope for a little while._

_Then I found him. It was like he appeared out of nowhere._

_He's in Chicago, Alex. I know I'll never make it there and see him but…I want you to. Your father's family, I know, never gave you a good impression of anything. And I know I wasn't able to do so with him there. But trust me, my brother would raise a good son, even if he didn't get to do so entirely. I know that he'll be a good man._

_Go find him. His name is Harry Dresden._

_Tell him I'm sorry I never met him._

_And forgive me, Alex. I was never a good mother._

_Love, Mom_

Xander wiped a tear from his eye at that last bit of the letter. He shook his head as he sat in the grimy hotel chair and growled, "No, Mom, you were good. I know that for whatever I got from Tony, you got double for trying to protect me."

Looking down at the letter again, he got up and went over to the bed to sit by the nightstand. Picking up the phone, he called the one person he knew that could make sure his cousin was still where his mom said he was.

"Hey, Wills," he said as she picked up. "Yeah, I'm alright. I'm in Mississippi right now. Mom died. Tony killed her and he's going to rot in jail for it."

There was the sound of a sob from the other end of the line and he breathed, "Don't break down on me, Wills. Mom left me some stuff and wanted me to do something for her."

"I have a cousin. Probably in Chicago from what Mom said but he might've moved. Yeah. I just want a scrying spell to know if he's there – I can find him otherwise. Think you can do it with just a name?"

He snorted at the outrage from the other end.

"Figured you could, Wills. His name is Harry Dresden, alright? Call me on my cell when you get something. The funeral is tomorrow and I'll probably pack up and start heading Chicago-way right after that."

Xander frowned as Willow said something very quickly in her trademarked babble. He closed his eye as he replied, "Tell Buffy that if she's going to order me around and keep dishing out Slayer's that don't give a damn about anything, I quit. Most especially if she's ordering all of mine to no longer have any contact with me. I won't just stand behind her like a loyal puppy if she's going to turn the Slayer's into her General Bitchiness. Stood for it once, Wills. I'm not going to do it again."

"Hunt me down? HA! That's laughable. Remember, I keep a gun, Wills. Unlike Buffy, I'm not stuck back in the medieval ages entirely."

Xander smiled then added, "You take care of yourself, Wills. Get together with Giles and try to get at those girls from under the radar – mini General Buffy's isn't what the world needs. Or if all else fails, get Faith and have a coup. Though she might start it so…"

He blinked then before laughing.

"Faith'll be fine without me there. I'm in love with her, Wills, not her keeper. She's as fed up with the return of General Buffy as I am."

"Yes, I'll be careful. Don't worry. Love you and give my love to Faith and Dawnie. And my Slayer's if you see them. 'Bye."

Xander hung up the phone and looked back down at the letter in his hand, skimming over the lines again. He then lifted his head and stared out the grimy window of the hotel room at the darkening sky.

"Real family…it'll be a treat to meet 'em."


	2. Seek the Ties

_Author's Note: This is Harry Dresden from the book series, not TV. And it is based after White Night, book 9. If you haven't read that, here's your big freaking spoiler warning of Doom. Also, I've never read the season 8 Buffy comic so anything BtVS/Angel related is from what little I know that was spoken of in Angel or made up. Mostly made up! _

* * *

Three weeks of searching and leaving messages on the number in his cousin's Yellow Pages ad – which Dawn had come across whilst helping Willow search – had come up with nothing. Leaving Xander to just wander around town in the hopes that he'd stumble across him. 

Instead he'd ended up in what Giles would have called a bad spot of trouble. Not that it wasn't surprising for him to end up in it.

Trouble followed him like a lost puppy.

"You know," he said slowly as he took a step back, "I'm really not in the mood to get my ass kicked tonight so can you take a rain check?"

The vampire in question just smirked, delicate fangs peeking over her lips, and that made him really nervous. He'd done a bit of book delving over the past few years and had discovered that there were a few more types of vampires than people like to let on about. Black Court vampires were the kind he'd fought since high school – this one…this one was one of the other ones. But since he wasn't getting the nasty ole' sex vibe of the White Court, he was gonna go with that it was a Red.

Which meant his ass was so fucking screwed.

Xander frowned and said, "I'll take that as a 'no'. So…" His hands flashed into the long coat he'd taken to wearing to hide the weapons he usually had on him and came back with a really long blade in his left hand. The right hand gripped the handle of his .45 ACP Glock in a death grip and he hoped the damn thing wasn't going to jam up again. Last time he'd pulled it out, he'd nearly had his head taken off by a demon and had to fall back to his reliable old Smith and Wesson. "Bring it, bitch."

The vampire just smiled and said, "Now, now…you don't really want to do this, do you? All I want is just a…taste, little hunter."

"And one little taste turns into a lot more when you get your venom into me. So fuck off."

Her pretty face twisted then and Xander staggered a few steps back, the gun up and the dagger held at the ready to strike from his hip. He'd really only read about Red Court vampires so he was only half prepared for seeing what lay underneath their flesh masks. God, he hoped he didn't lose the dinner he'd just eaten…

She was suddenly in his face, something dark and slimy snarling out from under her features, and he fired on instinct. He knew the bullets he used on Black Court wouldn't do much against her since Red's weren't affected by blessed silver but, damnit, he was going to try!

Screaming in outrage – yes, that was outrage, not fear – he fired twice again right into her sickening face then turned and ran. Completely ignoring the shriek of anger from behind him and the fact that he'd essentially just shot a woman. In fact, every though process in Xander's head had shut down except for what he needed most in a fight/flight situation. He'd learned well enough how to think through fights over the years though he was still scared shitless.

Especially when he skidded around a corner and came face to face with a tall older man with greying hair tugged back into a ponytail with a short beard wielding a freaking broadsword.

"MOVE!" he roared at the man as he heard the vampire coming after him. He made a grab at the man's shoulder but didn't manage it as the guy started in the direction of the vampire. Not away.

Towards…the…vampire.

"You gotta be fuckin' kidding me," snarled Xander under his breath. He briefly debated running but kicked that thought swiftly down – he didn't run if he didn't need to. Especially not if someone might get hurt because of his mistake.

So that was how he ended up running back towards the enraged Red Court vampiress, who was completely out of her flesh mask now. He slowed as he came even with the guy he'd swiftly dubbed Ponytail Lunatic, who was casually striding forward with his gray cloak flapping gently behind him. And somehow…somehow the sight of him made the vampire pause.

She ran a long tongue across her lips and hissed, "Warden."

"Yes," said the man stonily. His eyes darted towards Xander and the gun he held then back to the vampire. And before the Scooby knew it, the man was moving.

The broadsword turned into a silver blur and he could only stare as the guy went one-on-one with a vampire. And won.

"You're lucky that was a young one," said the man as he flicked the blood and ichor from his blade. He then looked coldly at him and hissed, "What does the Watcher's Council want in Chicago?"

Xander took a step back in surprise, his grip tightening on his gun. But his hand shook because…well, what threat was a gun to a guy who had taken on a freaking Red with just a sword? Then he scowled and put on what Faith had called his 'work face'.

"As of a few days back, I'd say I'm not really working with the Council. I'm here on my own business."

"What sort of business?"

"The personal kind that isn't any of your damn business," snarled Xander in response. He then felt a tendril of something in his head and jerked it to the side as the hyena reared up, snarling at the intrusion. The gun came up a moment later and Ponytail Lunatic met it with the blade of his sword at the Scooby's throat. But he did look a little impressed that Xander had managed to get his gun past his arm so the barrel rested against his throat. "And stay the fuck out of my head, mojo man."

"So noted," said the man quietly. His eyes darted past Xander and he whirled, cursing himself for forgetting his surroundings. As he saw another figure in a gray cloak coming up on him, the hilt of the broadsword snapped down on the back of his neck in a blow meant to knock him out.

But he hadn't been that easy to knock out for years.

It hurt like hell but he spun back towards the man, arcing his dagger as the guy's hip. He dodged the full force of the blow but the blade still caught his leg and drew blood, making him stumble back. Xander snarled and staggered a few steps backwards, pointing the Glock at the new figure in a cloak that'd come up behind him.

"I don't know who the hell you people are," he hissed, "or how you know about the Council, but so help me if you try that hard-handed bullshit with me again, I will _so_ blow someone's head off."

Ponytail Lunatic scowled, one hand clasped against the wound on his leg, and thrust an arm forward. He snarled something under his breath in what sounded like gibberish and Xander acted on his instincts. Dropping to one knee, he thrust his dagger up in front of his face and hissed out a harsh word that was either demonic or really old. He'd never bothered to find out – he just knew that it worked.

At his hiss, the blood-whetted blade writhed and vanished, forming a brief barrier between him and whatever the hell the sword-wielding psycho had sent out. It ricocheted off the barrier and smashed the bricks along the side of a building in a three-foot swath into dust. As the blade returned to its normal state, Xander heaved himself upright and tried to ignore the ache starting behind his eyes.

The guy had hit him harder than he'd thought.

"Morgan!" snapped the unknown figure in the cloak, revealing itself by voice to be a woman. "That will be enough!" She then turned towards Xander and said, "We mean you no harm, truly."

"Yeah right," snarled the Scooby. "So I'm supposed to believe he's just got itchy trigger fingers? Pff. Bullshit if I ever heard it, thank you very much, ma'am!"

"Ma'am?" repeated the woman, seeming slightly confused and amused.

Xander snorted at that and replied, "Hey, I don't disrespect women unless they're demons or vampires."

"A noble virtue. Now…Morgan, put your sword away!"

"Captain…"

"Morgan, that is an _order_," growled the woman. The man narrowed his eyes at Xander and moved to put the blade away as he hissed, "It would be appreciated if you lowered your weapons. We only wish to talk."

"I'll put away the gun," replied Xander, doing just that as he said it. "But you're not getting this dagger out of my hand after that stunt of yours." He then looked at the woman and hissed, "Now what the heck do you people want with me? Or, a better question, who the hell are you?!"

The woman sighed and stepped out of the shadows so he could see her and he was shocked by the stark contrast of her. She looked young…but her eyes showed someone a heck of a lot older and much more capable than anyone with that young of an appearance should be.

"A question more important to me, Mister Harris," she said softly, "is why you are here when your Watcher's Council is so determined to keep to itself even now."

"How do you know my name?" he snarled, glaring at her.

"We know a great deal about the Watcher's."

Xander frowned and looked from her to Morgan and back again before hissing, "Who the hell _are_ you people?"

"I am Captain Luccio," replied the woman in a voice full of steel as she realized he wasn't going to give her any answers. "And you have just stumbled into the war between the White Council and the Red Court."

_Shit_, though Xander. Giles had told him about the White Council – they were wizards and witches and nothing like the Coven or his Wills. They tended to keep to themselves but on occasion the two organizations had worked together…but those hadn't usually ended on so good a note.

"Great," he grumbled. "I waltz my way into everything." Then he swept his sweaty hair back out of his face and stared at the two, saying, "Look, I'm not with the Watcher's anymore – I didn't like how things were run. I'm here on my own looking for someone. That's it. I didn't mean to stumble into any war and I don't want any part in it."

"Good," said Luccio. "We have no need for the Watcher's to be sticking their noses into our business. Though…perhaps we can help you find who you're looking for if it will help you get out of town sooner rather than later."

"Sure," snapped Xander, willing to agree to just about anything now to find his cousin. The three weeks of hopeless searching was the main part in that. The dull pulsing at the base of his neck and the blackness constantly creeping in on his eyesight was also a nice prompt.

Morgan looked grumpily down at the woman, not liking this at all, but stayed silent. Luccio just nodded then asked, "The name?"

"Dresden," he replied, not seeing their jerks of reaction. His eyesight – already shot to hell by the fact that he only had the right one left – went dark then and he staggered as a sudden wave of nausea went through him. He opened his mouth to finish the name up but he found himself on the ground very abruptly.

Cool fingers probed at his head and throat and he heard the woman snarling something under her breath that might have been anything from a curse to a spell. In his state he couldn't bring himself to care either way. He just listened to his head pound and closed his eye, wishing the pavement underneath his cheek was a bit cooler.

And then everything went dark as he finally lost consciousness.


	3. Ties Found

"Dresden!" came the shout along with the pounding at the door that scared Molly half to death. "Dresden, open up!"

Meekly she went to the door and asked, "Erm…who is it?"

The pounding ceased and the voice replied, "Warden Morgan, apprentice. Open up. I need to speak with Dresden about something."

"Harry's not here right now," said Molly quickly, not sure if this was really Morgan or not. It sure sounded like him but she'd learned that things weren't always what they seemed to be. Especially after that story from Harry about the thing that had gone around looking like him and had hurt both Murphy and her mother.

Morgan growled then started to speak again when Harry's voice came from the top of the stairs along with Mouse's resonating rumble.

"Why, Morgan, how pleasant to see you. What's happened now?"

"What makes you think something has happened, Dresden?" he asked as he moved back so the other wizard could get at his door. He sidestepped further back as the big dog eyed him in a rather worrying manner.

Harry smirked as he took down his wards and heaved his door open a space before replying, "Because you never show up at my door when things are fine." He then finished opening the door and entered, leaving it open without an invitation for Morgan. The older man sighed and entered the apartment without waiting for what wasn't going to come, leaving most of his power at the threshold.

"Dresden…"

"One minute…here, Molly." Harry handed her the bag he'd been carrying and said, "Take that down into the lab, will you? But don't mess with it until I get down there."

"Okay," she said and disappeared down into the sub basement. Harry waited until it closed after her then shrugged out of his coat and turned to Morgan finally. "So what possible apocalypse do we have coming now?"

"Nothing of the sort, Dresden," replied Morgan stiffly. He hated having to deal with this man even if he give him a little respect for a few recent actions of his. But Captain Luccio had insisted he be the one to go and bring him in so they could deal with the Watcher's man. "There is simply someone we need you to come and identify for us."

"Me?" said Harry, confused. "Why? Also, why the hell are you in town?"

"It could be better explained at where he is being kept."

"Look, Morgan, I'm sure as hell not going anywhere with you to identify someone when I don't even know what's going on. And answer the second question."

The older wizard frowned and hissed, "This man is claiming to be of some relation to you, Dresden. I would think you would know if he were." He ignored the second question again and sensed that the other wizard was going to be ignoring it too.

His words didn't quite get the reaction he'd expected. Instead of just looking mildly surprised, the taller man stumbled backwards and barely caught himself on the back of a chair. He wobbled dangerously and stared at Morgan in wide-eyed awe before he gasped, "He…he's claiming to be family?"

"Yes, Dresden," snipped Morgan, not seeing where this was going. "He's claiming to be your kin though I don't see why that's so shocking…" Then he remembered: Dresden had been raised by duMorne and then McCoy without knowing any family besides his father. Of course he'd be shocked to know he actually had some.

"Okay," said Harry. "I'll come. Just…just let me tell Molly to head home."

Morgan just nodded stiffly and watched from his spot with mild interest as the other wizard bustled about. He watched the girl walk out looking confused and sad at the loss of her lessons then looked at Harry as the man fumbled with a few things before shrugging his coat back on.

"Lead on, Morgan," he said stiffly, glancing briefly at him before he clipped the lead back onto his monster of a dog. Morgan sniffed then went out the door the girl had left open, leaving the other wizard to catch up to him.

As Harry came up onto the street digging keys out of his pocket, Morgan shook his head and said, "No need. We were not far away from here when we found him and took him to a hotel."

"Oh."

The keys went away with a jangle and Morgan led the way towards the hotel, wondering at the sudden tense quiet of the wizard behind him. He almost wanted to snipe at him to get one of his usual responses but he held that need back and just led the way in silence.

That stiff, uneasy silence – not even broken by Harry having to leave Mouse tied outside - continued until they reached the room Captain Luccio had paid for and Dresden brushed past her into it as she opened the door. He had his blasting rod out before either other Warden could respond and at the throat of the dark-haired man standing by the window.

"You better explain just who the hell you are right now," he hissed angrily. "I don't like 'things' pretending to be my family."

"Dresden!" exclaimed Morgan angrily but the two men ignored him.

"Can we put the mojo stick down?" asked the man, not really looking that nervous at having it at his throat. "'Cause I don't want you jumping the gun and blowing my head off when I reach into my coat."

Harry scowled but lowered his blasting rod a few inches and the guy smiled as he reached into his coat for something. He came back with a folded piece of paper and extended it towards him, saying, "Here."

"What is it?" asked Harry, eying the folded piece of paper. It didn't_look_ like it had any magic in it and this guy didn't feel anything like a practitioner but you never knew.

The man rolled his eye and replied snippily, "Sheesh, its just a letter! Here, read it. And if its not proof enough of who I am…" He reached into his coat against and pulled out a sheaf of papers bound together with a few rubber bands and thumped them down on the generic hotel table he was standing next to. "I've got those to back me up."

Harry frowned then took the letter gingerly, letting his blasting rod fall down to dangle from the strap about his wrist. He closed his eyes and cast a quick search over the letter for anything but found nothing. Slowly he opened it and scanned it quickly, glancing up the dark-haired man every few seconds and absently wondered how he'd lost that eye of his.

Halfway through the letter he stopped reading and just stared at the man, not believing it.

"I had an aunt?"

"Had being the major word," confirmed the man. "My old man, who was already a few fries short of the Happy Meal, decided to kill her then tried to off himself. She wanted me to find you."

"Hell's bells," gasped Harry, shaking his head. "Is there…is there anyone else, erm…I don't even know your name."

"Xander," replied the man with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Harry. I…" The wizard suddenly turned towards the other two Wardens and demanded, "And what the hell are you two doing in Chicago?! How did you get tangled up with him?"

Luccio frowned and replied, "There's been a sudden convening of the Warden's called. We were coming to gather you when we came across him facing off with a young Red Court."

"You ran into Red Court?" exclaimed Harry, turning back towards his newly revealed cousin. Or possible cousin as he wasn't going to go along with it for sure until he saw what was in that sheaf of papers on the table.

Xander shrugged far too casually and replied, "Scary, yeah, but I've faced worse Big Bads. I mean, I grew up on the Hellmouth fighting vampires and demons. Kinda hard to faze me after that."

Harry just blinked then asked, "What vampires?"

"Well we were told pretty recently that they were Black Court but that's kinda iffy. Since the info on that came from old Council documents it's not really safe to trust it but we don't have anything else to go on. They call 'em Black Court and so do I on occasion since they are kinda similar."

"More like a sub species of vampires that couldn't stand up to any of the Courts," said Luccio with a snort.

"Okay whatever," grumbled the one-eyed man. "Thanks for the save and giving me a hand in finding him. Oh, and for the headache. I really love that little gift."

Morgan grunted at that then growled, "We should go."

Luccio nodded then said, "Warden Dresden…if you would accompany us? Mister Harris, I'd kindly ask you to do as we agreed and leave town immediately. You've found what you wanted."

She turned briskly to leave with Morgan at her heels and was at the door before Harry exclaimed, "Wait, what? You can't just make him leave town now!"

"That is what he agreed to."

"I did," said Xander with a sheepish shrug. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Now wait a minute!" roared Harry. "He's _family_, dammit! I am not just going to let him disappear on me."

"Dresden," growled Morgan, "we don't have time for this. The Council…"

Dark eyes narrowed at him and the annoyed wizard spat, "You know as well as I do that I only wear that damn cloak 'cause you need me, Morgan. If I had a choice, I'd have tossed it back at you and told you and the Council to stuff it. Now take back your damn deal."

Captain Luccio scowled and said, "You are very likely the most difficult man I've ever had to deal with."

"I'll take that as a compliment," quipped Harry. "Now can he _stay_?"

Morgan frowned and looked down at the Captain, who sighed then nodded.

"Very well, Warden Dresden. He may remain within the city but…you are to keep a close eye on him as your duty as Warden here. The Watcher's Council have never gotten along well with us."

"The what?"

"I'll explain later," hissed Xander.

Harry frowned then nodded, saying to Luccio and Morgan, "Thank you. Now can I lead him to my apartment or are you two going to drag me off kicking and screaming?"

The Captain glared at him but Morgan was well used to the sarcasm and simply said, "We will wait outside for you, Dresden. And do take your dog back with you."

"Good," said Harry as Luccio asked, "Dog? What dog?" But Harry had grabbed the sheaf of papers off the table and waved Xander out the door before she demanded an answer out of him. As they went down the stairwell, they looked at each other then away again.

"So…you're a wizard…how's that work?" asked Xander.

"Well enough when I don't have several things trying to kill me."

"Ouch. I know the feeling."

Harry frowned at that then said, "You'll have to explain that one to me. Also about this Watcher's Council of yours…I've never heard of them."

Xander shrugged at that. "Well, I'd never heard of your White Council or Wardens before this, so I think we've both got some catching up to do. And you _can_ ask."

"Ask what?"

"About the eye."

"What eye?" replied Harry innocently.

Xander blinked then laughed and said, "I like you already."

The wizard smiled at that, asking, "Want to take care of my dog for a few hours then?" He shoved the door open then, holding it until his newly discovered cousin stepped through.

"Sure, where…holy crap, you mean that wooly mammoth over there is a dog?"

"I prefer to call him Mouse."

"Wow. Sure, I'll hold onto him for you…whoa, hi doggy!"

Mouse panted and licked Xander's hands as the one-eyed man petting him in the effort to keep him from jumping on him. Harry nodded and said, "Okay then, now I really know you're for real."

Xander blinked at that, frowning at him for a moment before he had to turn back to Mouse. "Why's that?" he asked as he reached out to untie the big dog's leash.

"If you hadn't been and got past Luccio and Morgan, Mouse would have had you for lunch."

"So he's a demon-fighting dog?"

"He's a bad guy-fighting dog," corrected Harry with a smile. "Anyway, my apartment's down this way…"

Xander followed and got a crash course on a different type of wards than he was used to, just nodding every few moments as he took in everything Harry said. Once inside, he looked around and smiled, saying, "Homey." At Harry's unconvinced look, he continued, "No, I mean it. But for the lack of electricity – which I'm sure you'll explain later – it's a really nice little place. Though how the hell do you keep it so clean?"

"Trade secret," replied the wizard with a wry grin since you can't reveal it when faeries are doing your housecleaning. "So, kitchen's there, as you can see, and there's the couch and books. Bathroom's that way…"

"Please tell me you have something for a headache…"

"Going through what I do, I have more than enough for every ache and pain. So just stay here and I should be back in an hour or two. Oh, and don't open the door for any reason."

"Why?" asked Xander as he managed to find the hook on Mouse's collar and took off the leash.

Harry frowned and replied, "Lots of magic on it and you trying to open it would be bad. Plus nasty things like to come knocking at my door."

"So…don't touch the door."

"Don't touch the door."

Xander nodded, saying, "Okay, I got it. Surprised you trust me to be in your place alone though since we only just met."

"Like I said, if Mouse didn't threaten to eat you in one gulp, you're okay." The wizard chuckled and said, "I better go before Morgan decides to come down here after me and gets a jolt off my door. And, er, if anyone calls for me take a message."

"Gotcha."

Harry nodded then headed towards the door, glancing back just before he closed it. He stared at Xander for a moment as the other man crouched in front of Mouse, rubbing the big dog's ears with a wide smile on his face. Looking at him…it was sort of easy to imagine him as family.

Shrugging, he headed out the door, closing it firmly behind him with a sigh. Then he started up the steps and went to grab his gray cloak out of the Beetle.

It was time to go be a Warden, it seemed.

* * *

**REVIEW REPLIES**

_Kwangmablade:_ I forgot about the rotting bit. Been a while since I reread any of the books involving Black Court and there's little to no info anywhere online on the Courts that I can look for.

_Canis Black:_ See, got that covered. And, yes, I own all of the Dresden books so I've read 'em all.

_Shinigami-chan:_Yes, this is Dresden from the Dresden Files on TV. Only this is coming from the books it was based off of and not the show itself.


	4. Ties Questioned

Xander found some Advil in the bathroom easily enough and downed three of them since he didn't feel like searching for anything else. Ambling around the room, he peered into the icebox and debated for a long moment whether to help himself to a Coke or not but finally just decided to pour a glass of water from the sink.

Sipping it, he started slowly browsing the bookshelves and yelped in surprise as two big feline eyes blinked at him suddenly.

"Hi," he said lamely after recovering and mentally taking note that that was _not_ a girly shriek he just uttered. That was a very manly shriek of terror.

The eyes blinked back at him then a big gray cat unfolded from its spot on the shelf and jumped down to the floor. It sniffed his boots curiously before turning and padding across the room to disappear through a half-open door. Xander blinked after the cat then looked at Mouse sitting on the floor by the couch.

"What was that?"

The big dog just wagged his tail in response and gave him that expression of "What?" most seem to have. Xander shook his head then tugged an interesting looking book off the shelves, settling down onto the couch. As he sat the glass down on the nearby end table, Mouse padded close and laid his head on the edge of a cushion, prompting the man to give him a gentle pat.

Then the apartment drifted into silence except for the turning of pages for an hour or so until the phone rang. Xander automatically picked it up then swore under his breath as he remembered Harry telling him not to answer the phone.

Too late to hang up now though.

"Er," he said after a moment, "hi?"

"Who is this?" demanded a woman's voice from the other end of the line.

"I'm a, uh, friend of Harry's. Who're you?"

"A friend of Harry's. Is he there?"

Xander thought about it, decided he didn't want to say 'No, he's gone off with a bunch of Wardens to do wizarding stuff or whatever' and tentatively replied, "Er, no."

The woman sighed and it sounded a lot like the sighs he'd heard from Giles over all the years he'd known the older man. "Okay," she said. "Where is he? Out on a case? He was told me he was going to be there all day with Molly."

'Molly?' mouthed Xander, looking curiously at Mouse, who just smiled back at him. Frowning, he scratched his head, and said, "Well, I dunno anything about that. I just really met Harry today, heheh."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then the woman stonily stated, "You stay right there."

"Wha?"

When the line went dead, he held the phone away from him then looked at Mouse.

"Shit," he grumbled. "What woman have I pissed off now?"

Rising, he put the book back into its place on the shelf then carried his now empty glass into the kitchen. Politely he washed it and set it aside then wandered back towards the couch with Mouse on his heels to wait. As his head tipped back, he dozed off briefly, not waking up until he heard the scrape of the big metal door across the floor.

Reflexively he came to his feet and jerked out the first thing that came into his hand as it whipped underneath his jacket. Then he blinked and stared at the short, blonde woman glaring at him over her own gun as she entered the apartment.

"Um…"

"Chicago P.D.," she growled. "Put the gun down."

Xander swallowed and moved his finger away from the trigger, slowly lowering his arm so the Desert Eagle dropped down onto the couch. Then he took a slow step away from it, holding both hands up, and said, "Very sorry for that."

She frowned at him for a moment then closed the door, moving slowly towards her. Her eyes flicked towards the big gun then towards him, growling, "Do you have a permit for that?"

"It, the Glock, and the Smith and Wesson."

Her eyes narrowed at that.

"Where are they?"

Obediently, Xander pulled the two from either holster under his arms and leaned over to set them down on the couch as well. He bit his tongue on mentioning the dagger in the sheath underneath one holster and the combat knife currently tucked into his boot. Slowly he smiled and she glared at him in response, which just made him smile brighter.

"Uh," he started, "should I point out the dog?"

"What about him?" she asked, looking down at Mouse.

"Well, Harry mentioned the fact that him not having ate me was a good thing. Doesn't that count?"

"I'll wait and talk to Harry myself. Now where's your wallet?"

"Back pocket," replied Xander wearily, keeping his arms up as she moved around him. He was rather used to this sort of treatment since he was carrying about a big honking Desert Eagle. Most people who tried detaining him ended up coming back looking sheepish afterwards since his permits had come through the Council and they made sure they're people kept their gear. And we're bespelled by the Coven at his request so they automatically were reissued without him ever having to do a thing.

She reached around and pulled it out, looking first at his license then at the three gun permits. After a moment she frowned at him, saying, "So Harry just left you here. Why?"

"Er…he had to go out."

"A case? Or something magic?"

Xander blinked twice then stared at her.

"You," he said slowly, "you know?"

"Yes," she said slowly. "Now where is Harry?"

The door opened then and Harry came in, saying, "Right here, Murph. See, safe and sound, okay?"

"Who is he?" she demanded. "And where were you? You told me you'd be here all day with Molly?"

"Stuff came up," he replied, shrugging casually. "He came up actually."

She spun back towards Xander, who blinked innocently as if to say 'Who, me?', then turned back towards the wizard. Blowing air through bared teeth, she holstered her gun and held up his wallet. "He has permits for three guns, you know."

"He does?" said Harry, surprised. "You do?" he queried, looking at Xander over her head.

Xander shrugged in response and replied, "Yeah but they're all real. I swear. Even the one for the Desert Eagle."

Dark eyes flicked towards the guns on the couch then down at the blonde cop. "Um, Murph, if he's got the permits, there's no problem."

"He has a Desert Eagle!"

"And I have a shotgun in my trunk that you've been ignoring for years. Plus…he's family, Murph."

"What?!"

"We're cousins apparently," said Harry with a smile. "Though I've yet to look through the papers he brought with him to make sure its true but I'm thinking so. Mouse didn't eat him, so he's okay. So, Xander, meet Karrin Murphy."

"Hi," said Xander cheerfully. "Nice to, uh, meet'cha."

She stared at him then looked up at Harry before glancing between them both again. Then she sighed and grumbled, "Well you two are definitely related. Only someone related to you, Harry, could annoy me this much after only just meeting him."

"That's a compliment," intoned Harry towards Xander with a grin.

"No, its not," said Murphy. Then she turned and handed Xander back his wallet, which he took gratefully and put back into his pocket. As she turned back towards Harry and asked, "Now where were you?" he stepped over to the couch and slid the three guns back under his coat.

The wizard sighed and replied, "Council business, Murph. There's something big going on and a meeting was called here in town with all of the Warden ordered to be there."

"How's he fit into this?"

"Morgan apparently found him facing off with a Red Court vampire."

She looked at Xander with surprise at that and he blinked back, asking, "What? I almost got sacrificed once to open a portal to Hell. Vampires are cake."

Murphy shook her head and turned to Harry with, "He's insane. Now what's going on in my city?"

"We're not sure. But the Wardens are staying around – whatever it is, it's big." Harry glanced towards Xander and added, "And somehow I have the feeling it has something to do with your Watcher's Council or whatever."

"They're not mine," insisted the one eyed man, holding his hands up. "And nobody but my friends knew I was coming here. I specifically told them not to tell anyone else, too. So whatever this is, I didn't drag it here with me, trust me."

Harry nodded, saying, "I believe you. Problem is, the Council isn't. And what the hell _is _this Watcher's Council?"

Xander grinned at the both of them and asked, "You ever heard of the Slayer?"

As they shook their heads in response, he sighed and remembered the old spill he'd heard from Giles so many years ago.

"Well, into every generation there's a girl born to fight vampires – the lesser kind, not the Courts. She's strong, she's fast, and she's the boogeyman to all the nasties of the night. Though now there are hundreds of them thanks to what might've been a bad turn in judgment."

"How would more of these super girls be bad?" asked Harry.

"Y'know how everything has an equal and opposite reaction?" asked Xander.

"Yeah."

"What happens when the side of good suddenly gets this great big boost and leaves a gaping hole for evil to fill?"

Murphy paled as Harry muttered, "Hell's bells."

Xander nodded, saying, "Exactly. The proverbial shit starts hitting the fan, then the _real_ shit starts hitting the fan. More and more girls pop up every day and I kept watching them turn into people I didn't like. That's why I left."

The blonde shook her head then looked up at Harry, asking, "You knew nothing about this?"

"It's not something that gets talked about a lot apparently," he replied sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. Then he frowned and asked, "What are _you_ doing here, Murph?"

She sighed at that.

"I called to bring you in on a murder; girl about sixteen that was found beaten to death with her eyes sewed shut and some runes carved over them."

"Runes?" questioned Xander. He then paled and asked, "Shit, did you leave the body?"

"I haven't even seen the body yet. Why?"

"Those…that sounds really similar to something that happened a few years ago."

"What?" asked Harry.

The one-eyed man smiled grimly and replied, "The end of the world."

They both stared at him for a long moment as if he wasn't serious then it sank in that he was. Murphy looked up at Harry then said, "Let's go, both of you. We'll take my car. And leave those guns here!"

"Why?" asked Xander, curiously. "I have…"

"Handguns are illegal here in Chicago," pointed out Harry. As Xander's mouth opened in an 'o' of surprise. "So, leave them here."

"I can keep them? I mean…"

"What handguns?" growled Murphy, glaring at him.

"The…"

"_What. Handguns?_"

Xander gulped and said, "Uh, yeah, what handguns?"

"Good," she said sharply before going out the door. Harry grinned and patted the one-eyed man on the shoulder as they followed after he left the guns in the apartment. Then he turned and said, "I'll do my best not to get it blown up your car this time, Murph."

"Not the time, Harry!"

"If you can't laugh at the possible end of the world, what can you laugh at?" asked the wizard. Then he looked at Xander as they climbed into the car, he stretching out his legs in the front seat, and said sarcastically, "This day just keeps getting better and better."

Xander smiled grimly back at him and leaned back into the seat with his eye closed after he buckled his seat belt.

"Trust me," he said slowly, "if this is what I think it might be, the day's going to get a lot worse."


	5. Ties Bound and Unbound

"So what exactly are you thinking this is?" asked Harry _sotto voce_ as he and Xander followed Murphy through the crime scene towards the body. "And you never actually answered the question about the Watcher's Council."

"Oh. Basically they're there to watch the Slayer and guide her after she's chosen. Back when I first got involved with them, they were a bunch of worthless assholes that sat back congratulating themselves on a job well done while girls went out and died fighting."

The wizard's jaw clenched at that and he growled, "Really."

"Yeah," spat Xander. "Just before my hometown turned into a crater, most of them got blown up when their headquarters decided to spontaneously combust."

"Convenient."

"Potential Slayers were dying around the same time too so not so much. But, anyway, up until a few years ago the Council was running good – the girls were taken care of, we had Watcher's that could handle themselves, and hunting was running smoothly. Then Buffy came back."

"Buffy?" questioned Harry.

"First Slayer I ever met," replied Xander with a small, nostalgic smile. "I'd have done anything for her back in those days. Over the years though, she changed – got cocky. Now she's turning every girl into her General Bitchiness, as I like to call it, and the whole Council's gone to hell since she doesn't listen to a damn thing any of us say." The smile turned bitter then as he finished, "Hence my leaving. Hopefully my girls though, they'll get the hell out of there."

Harry blinked and the conversation paused as Murphy had a brief conversation with one of the officers before they continued on. "Your girls?" he asked as she opened a door in the small apartment complex they were in.

"I spent a few years in Africa finding Slayer's. Trained 'em up to be the best the Council has and they're more loyal to me than anyone since I treat them like the people they damn well are. Christ."

Xander stopped in the apartment, staring at the body spread-eagled on the floor, and closed his eye. Then he turned to the side, opening his eye to look down at the pieces of paper scattered on the desk near him. Using the sleeve of his jacket, he moved a few about then cursed violently under his breath.

"What?" asked Harry. The one-eyed man shook his head in response and slowly moved to where the corpse lay, kneeling down next to it. He stared down at the girl for a long moment, specifically at the runes carved over her eyes, then rose and walked swiftly out of the room without another word.

Murphy frowned at Harry, who shrugged, then rushed out after his newly discovered cousin. He found him sagged against the outside of the building, obviously having been sick in the nearby bush judging by the way he was wiping his mouth.

"You okay?"

"No," replied Xander wearily. "I'm really not." Sighing, he looked towards the wizard and said, "She was a Slayer – there was a contact letter from the Council on her desk."

Harry frowned and asked, "What about her eyes?"

"That's where things go apocalyptic on us. Remember when I said potential Slayers were getting killed before they were all called through a spell?" Xander ran a hand wearily through his hair as Harry nodded, then saying, "They were being killed by these things called Bringers, which had their eyes sewed shut and runes carved over them."

"Just like the girl."

"Yeah, just like that."

"Which means what?" asked Murphy as she suddenly appeared, arms crossed.

Xander sighed at that and pushed himself away from the wall, looking wearily at the both of them.

"It means that the First Evil, the biggest bad of them all, isn't so defeated as we thought it was. And I have to tell the Council, which is going to be so much fun."

Murphy frowned then asked, "Can we expect any more deaths like this?"

"I don't know," replied Xander honestly. "Last time I saw them, we had a portal to Hell underneath our town. So far as I know, there_is_ one under Chicago but its inactive and not likely to come up any time soon. There's always only one active at a time and its in Cleveland."

"Always only one?" repeated Harry.

"So says the Council."

"I thought you didn't trust the Council."

"Point made. I'll see if I can find where it's at. Other than that…I have no idea, Sergeant Murphy."

She blinked at him and he said, "I heard someone say whilst we were coming in."

"Ah."

"Anyway, I need a phone."

"Right now?" asked Harry, looking around. "Er, we'll grab a cab back to my apartment, I guess. That okay, Murph?"

Sighing, she replied, "If that's all you both can give me, I suppose it'll have to be. And you had damn well better call me when you figure out what's going on, Harry. I want to know what's going on in my town."

"I'll call the second I know."

"You promise?"

"Yeah," replied Harry, smiling, "I promise, Murph."

"Good. You break that, I'm going to break your legs."

With a grim smile, she turned and walked back into the building, leaving Xander blinking after her. Then he looked at Harry and asked, "Er, is she serious?"

"I'm not going to not call her and find out. She has a mean punch."

"Ah, 'discretion is the better part of valour,'" quoted Xander. He then spat into the bush and grumbled, "Anyway, can we go? I don't like staying so much around the corpse of a woman."

Harry nodded and slowly they walked off together towards the road. As he managed to flag down a taxi, he asked softly, "You want to beat the shit out of whatever did that to her too, don't you?"

"Yeah. Good guess."

"Nope," replied the wizard. "Seems pretty tempting to me too."

Xander smiled at that as they got into the cab then fell silent as Harry gave his address. He leaned back into the seat and wondered just how he could convince the Council and Buffy that this was real. And just what he could do otherwise if they didn't believe him.

It took slightly longer for them to get back to the apartment that it had leaving but that was mainly from the fact that the taxi driver didn't drive as maniacally as Murphy had. Xander obliged to pay the fee as Harry went to open the door then followed him inside, immediately walking over to the phone. Mouse barked in greeting and earned a pat before he picked up the phone and started dialing as Harry settled onto the couch in a flail of long limbs with a Coke in hand.

"Hallo, Watcher's Council Headquarters, London," chirped a voice on the other end of the line.

"Luca," said Xander quickly, "I need to talk to Giles immediately. We have an apocalypse."

There was a pause then Luca whispered, "We were told not to talk to you."

"I couldn't give a flying fuck about General Buffy's orders. And what are you doing answering the phones? You're one of the best damn Slayer's I trained!"

"We are all out of the field!"

Harry leaned forward as Xander's expression went stony and asked, "Something's wrong?"

"Bitch," spat the one-eyed man in response to both people. He then pinched his nose, eye shut, then said into the phone, "Luca, just transfer me, please. This is seriously an apocalypse situation…"

"I…"

"Luca, there are _Bringers_ here!" he snapped, practically roaring now. "You remember Bringers, I know, because I remember every damn horror story you and the other girl's told. Now transfer me to Giles!"

Luca gasped, seeming to struggle to breathe, then whispered, "Yes, sir." There was a crackle then and Xander struggled to keep his temper under control. "Damn Buffy!" he spat under his breath. "Damn, damn, damn!"

Harry frowned and started to say something when his cousin exclaimed, "Giles!" in a relieved voice. "Thank God, I…_what?!_"

Xander blinked a few times then snarled, "What the hell do you mean you can't help me?! Giles, it's _me_! What the fuck do you mean Buffy ordered you not to talk to me – you're the head of the damn Council, not her!"

"Xander, I simply can't…" began Giles but the one-eyed man snapped, "Where's Faith?"

"…what?"

"Where. Is. Faith?" repeated Xander in a growl. At no immediate answer, he hissed in a dangerous voice, "Giles, where is my girlfriend? Because, so help me, if Buffy did something to her, I don't give a shit about our friendship since she killed that years ago. And I will come back there right now, apocalypse or not, and I will hurt her."

"Faith is fine," assured Giles quickly. "She…"

"She_what_?"

"She's in one of the holding cells.'

"One of the…" Growling, Xander snapped, "Let me talk to Willow."

"Xander."

"NOW!" roared Xander into the phone, shocking the man on the other end of the line and Harry sitting on the couch. The wizard arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything since he had no idea what was going on.

Giles sighed then said, "Very well," and the conversation ended in a buzz of wires. Then it was picked up again and Willow started babbling, "OmiGod,Xander,itsyou.Faith'slockedupandIdon'tknowwhattodoandBuffy'snothereand…"

"Buffy's not there?" repeated Xander, still the only one who could understand his Wills when she started babbling.

"Y-yes."

"Good. I've got something I want you to do for me then, Wills. Something to get Faith and my girls the hell out of there…you too if you want."

"Really?" said the witch and he smiled into the phone. "Leave my best friend behind to General Buffy?" he asked. "You know I'd never do that. Now, I know you can get Faith out, those cells are magic linked and Buffy can't block you out of them. Do that first then get the girls wherever they are – I know Luca's at the front desk phones."

"How are we going to get there?" asked Willow.

Xander grinned wickedly as he replied, "You've got the info for the Council accounts, don't you?"

"Yes…"

"Empty 'em. Drain them fucking dry and let Buffy sort it out. Buy plane tickets for all of you and get over here to Chicago quick as you can. Oh, and raid the weapon stores too – take the best. I don't really care if you actually bring them or not, just take them. Hell, leech everything you can out of the library too."

He heard the sound of a pen scratching against paper on the other side of the phone then Willow asked, "What about Dawnie?"

Xander blinked then replied, "Well of course I want my Dawnster out of there too. And she'll come, trust me. Now get to work, Wills. I'll see you all when you get here, right?"

"Right," assured Willow. "Be careful, Xander."

"You too. And if Buffy tries to stop her, tell Faith to get her gun."

He hung up over Willow's exclamation of "Faith has a _gun_?!" then sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. Harry leaned forward on the couch, asking, "Just what do you just do?"

Xander paused then laughed, replying, "I just pulled out the best witch, linguist, and the woman who was the last single Slayer out of the Council along with a good portion of the Slayer girls. Plus their weapons, books, and money." Laughing again, he finished, "I think I just declared war on the Watcher's Council from within!"

"So it looked," said Harry. He then asked, "So what exactly are we going to do now?"

"Well," replied the one-eyed man, "I don't know about you, cousin, but I think I need a drink."

The wizard smiled at that and set his Coke aside, saying, "I know just the place." As he rose, he frowned at Xander and asked softly, "A drink for this…or the girl?"

"Both," came the stiff reply. "More the girl though…I hate seeing them like that."

"There's something we share then. C'mon," said Harry, tugging on Xander's sleeve briefly. The man nodded then cocked his head to the side as they walked towards the door.

"Y'know," he said slowly, "I never noticed the glove before. What happened to the hand? Or are you just trying to impersonate Michael Jackson before he began to look like a pixie?"

Harry grinned over his shoulder at that, replying, "It'd be white if I were going that."

"Good point."

"And it got burned," answered the wizard as he locked the door behind them.

Xander winced in sympathy, muttering, "Nasty," before he ground to a halt outside. He blinked at the one vehicle sitting there then turned to look up at his cousin.

"You drive _that_?"

"Hey," said Harry, "don't diss the Beetle. It may be old and break down but it's about the only thing I can drive. Or afford."

"Seriously? Man, we are so buying you a new car."

The wizard smiled as he folded himself into the driver's seat, saying, "No thanks."

"'Kay," said Xander as he got in. As Harry coaxed the engine to life, he asked, "So why can't you drive anything else?"

"Magic screw with anything made after the second World War, pretty much."

"Bummer."

"Yeah," agreed Harry as he angled the Beetle out into the street, "doesn't help in our super technological mad world. Anyway, off we go."

Xander grinned then pulled out his wallet as the Beetle puttered away.

"Um…you wouldn't happen to be able to pay for me, would ya? Cousin? Old buddy, old pal?"

Harry groaned then chuckled, replying, "Sure. You're lucky I just got off a big case a few days ago." He then jabbed a finger at Xander as he pulled up to a red light, adding, "And you owe me dinner now."

"It's a date," said the one-eyed man with a wicked grin and Harry laughed before pressing his foot on the gas as the light turned green, puttering away towards McAnally's.

* * *

**Note:** Went back and did a few touch-ups on the previous chapters…nothing major. Mostly going through and finding where I kept accidentally typing that Xander had 'eyes' and not 'eye'. Silly me for writing two Xander fics at once, one with eyepatch and one without. I get so confused… 

And this chapter has been giving me fits in figuring out how to finish it! But now it's done…time to figure out Chapter 6!

Also Faith, Willow, Dawnie, and the Slayer girls won't be appearing for maybe another chapter or two (Kennedy will probably be the only potential there from the show, but dunno yet). And there will be fights with Buffy and the rest of the Council alongside the Big Bad – which won't be the First Evil alone! Or maybe it won't even be the First at all!

//wicked grin// You never know, y'know, heheh.


End file.
